Clemens to the Red Sox? (go out the right way)

[riverside sluggers]

Boston Herald: Sox not actively seeking Rog

By Jeff Horrigan/ Red Sox Notebook

Monday, December 12, 2005 - Updated: 02:48 AM EST

 

Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino made it clear last night that the team is not involved in negotiations to lure Roger Clemens back to Boston. But Lucchino said the team did contact Clemens’ agents, the Hendricks brothers, just to let them know that there was interest, if the right scenario developed. “We simply planted the seed. No reaction was solicited,” Lucchino wrote in an e-mail.

 

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, who left the Sox via free agency in 1996, wasn’t offered arbitration by the Houston Astros last week and is free to sign with any other team. Clemens, 43, plans to play in the World Baseball Classic in March before deciding if he wants to continue playing.

[ahhchon]

how much are we going to have to pay for the rocket.. he would definately demand some major dollars. sign a guy for 1 year 17+ so you can win the world series.. now that's BUYING a championship... (if we win that is)

 

john

[MC Hammer]

how much are we going to have to pay for the rocket.. he would definately demand some major dollars.

 

john

I'd say upwards of 17 Mill. I figure he'll get almost 20 Mill.

[ahhchon]

it's not going to happen, moving back to the al won't help his numbers, nor does the fact that he's a year older. it'll catch up to him sooner or later, you might as well not take the chance of it being this year. there are plenty of other things we can invest 20 mill on.

 

john

[ksushi]

If henry wants to invest this kind of money into this season than power to him. Its not like we'd be giving clemens a 5 year deal with burnett money, its a one year "hey why the hell not" kind of signing. If he wants to, why not? This is the exact situation where we can say its his money let him do what makes him feel happy with it. It has no long term ramifications on the team, and would make the sox very very competitive this year. If Clemens wants to come back to Boston and be away from his home, great. I think he'll play in the WBC and hang up the spikes. But hey, anything can happen, pedro is a met and doug mienkewitcz stole our world series ball. Weird.

[MC Hammer]

If henry wants to invest this kind of money into this season than power to him. Its not like we'd be giving clemens a 5 year deal with burnett money, its a one year "hey why the hell not" kind of signing. If he wants to, why not? This is the exact situation where we can say its his money let him do what makes him feel happy with it. It has no long term ramifications on the team, and would make the sox very very competitive this year. If Clemens wants to come back to Boston and be away from his home, great. I think he'll play in the WBC and hang up the spikes. But hey, anything can happen, pedro is a met and doug mienkewitcz stole our world series ball. Weird.

I think his decision will be made by the WBC. If he goes out and dominates then theres a better chance that he comes back. But if he is anything less than amazing he'll hand 'em up.

[Beckett95]

Plenty of buzz going around about Roger Clemens entertaining new teams such as the Red Sox, Yankees, or Rangers for the 2006 season. According to my Astros source, however, Clemens is again choosing between the Astros and retirement.

 

Houston Chronicle writer Brian McTaggart has confirmed that Brad Ausmus is very close to signing a two-year pact with the Astros. It's well known that Clemens does not want to pitch for any other catcher, and the Red Sox tried in vain to lure Ausmus out East. Boston was never really an option for Ausmus, who wants to be a starter and considered only San Diego as an alternative.

 

According to my Astros source, look for Clemens to return to Houston and start taking advantage of some of his previously negotiated perks. In 2006, Clemens would skip more road trips to stay with his family. Look for Roger to pull a few strings and try to get the Astros to promote his son Koby to the Corpus Christi Hooks (Double A club located in Texas). Third baseman Koby has played just nine games at Class A with the Tri City ValleyCats in New York. In addition, Roger has a ten-year agreement to work for the Astros after retirement to work with the club's young players.

 

After pitching in the World Baseball Classic, expect Clemens to take a few months off and return to the Astros around mid-June. His salary will certainly be less than $18MM, and the team will hopefully have acquired the improved offensive players Clemens desires.

 

mlbtraderumors.com

[RedRuffing15]

The fact the Red Sox have made some real nice moves has to make a veteran like Clemens interested. He has to think that with the rotation we have already he would have a great chance of going out with another World Series. What better way for the Rocket to go out then to win a World Series with the team he started with. You can't beat that....absolute amazing story. I just want to imagine and take a look:

 

Curt Schilling

Roger Clemens

Josh Beckett

Tim Wakefield

Jonathan Papelbon

 

....damn that would be fun to watch

 

That could be great, but also could be INSAINLY risky to rely on. Schilling and Beckett have before suffered injurys, ones, that if reinjured, could cause them to miss many games, Clemens is old, and I don't know much about Papelbon, but Wakefields fine.

 

I mean in some cases its a risk worth taking, but its still a big risk.

 

Now, I don't know about him being a drama-queen, cuz that doesn't matter to me, 9th on the ALlTime Wins list, 2nd alltime in SO, 26th in Shutouts.

 

Hes a great player, but I don't think any of you were doubting that. But for 15+ million....huge risk

[BSL63087]

It's been brought up, and they mentioned it just now on Pardon the Interruption. Kornheiser said he thinks he will end up in Houston still.

 

I hope we get him back so he can finish his hall of fame career where it started.

 

Thoughts?

[yankeessuck013]

I'd love to get him, but I think he's staying with the Astros.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

He'd be a perfect mentor for Pap and very good himself, I just don't know if he'll sign here...

[eZ_d0eS_iT]

i love the idea, but unless this team was more of a lock for the playoffs, i just think there's too much history... that bridge was burned when duquette slammed the door shut and he ended up a yankee after toronto.

[Jeff04]

Great idea but really what are the chances why would he leave houston just to come back for a year in boston away from his family. It would be amazing but so really unrealisitic. He'll wait until may 1 and sign with the astros

[yankeessuck013]

Great idea but really what are the chances

 

Not Likely.

[The Monster is my Mom]

Don't we already have a surplus of starting pitching? Why would we pay Raja like 15 mil to come here when we have plenty of good pitching - especially if we can convince Wells to stay on?

[TheRivernator]

I wouldnt mind seeing clemens don the pinstripes for one more go round....

[RedSoxRooter]

me too.

[kreinbihl34]

He can put on whatever uniform he wants but he always chokes in the big game. Yes I'll be the first to admit Clemens is a very GOOD pitcher but not a great... he chokes when it matters most

[redsoxrules]

He can put on whatever uniform he wants but he always chokes in the big game. Yes I'll be the first to admit Clemens is a very GOOD pitcher but not a great... he chokes when it matters most

 

I agree , now in my opinion i wouldnt pay him 17 million a year either wtf the guy is 43 ,wich means its risky cause he can start sucking at any time ,and hes bound to loose his velocity pretty soon,and how long can his body hold up,and i dont think he can pitch 200 a year anymore

[jimmycarter05]

I hope the Sox get him, he'd be a great teacher along with Schilling for Paps, Beckett, Lester, and all our other young pitchers.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

I'm sorry, a hate to be a pessimist here, but there's no way Roger comes back to pitch in Boston period. He is at combination of one of the most talented and most self centered pitchers ever. He also sucks as a "big game" pitcher. He signed a big contract while with Boston, let him self get out of shape. The went to the Jays , in shape, and pitched great ( but not clutch ). Went to Yanks and basically did the same thing. Then went to Houston under a "Roger" contract, again great stats but sucked in the clutch. So we should sign him for $17 million plus. I don't think so. He certainly won't give a discount. He will also suck in the play-offs. I see this as just a PR move ( at least I hope so ).

[riverside sluggers]

It would be a great thing no doubt, Id be stoked if the following season Theo then takes another shot at NY by being able to ink Pettitte. Maybe its only viable in MVP 06 i know, but hey i can dream.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Nice dream, but when you wake up, we're stuck with reality.

[Mr Crunchy]

i'd love to see him in ny but after he was humiliated in game 1 of the world series i dont think he'll come back.

[elsrbueno]

Some fun facts about Roger Clemens:

 

He was 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in September last year (with the team searching for a playoff spot) and allowed opponents a .294 BA.

 

This guy's a mediocre pitcher in crucial games and does have a bit of a habit of exiting early.

 

He made $18 million last year.

 

Is this guy a better pitcher than he was in NY? NO. He's facing lesser competition and no longer has to face the DH. His ERAs in NY (3.91, 4.35, 3.51) are much closer to what you should expect as a player in Boston, in fact possibly even higher since a) he's older, and he'd pitch home games at Fenway rather than Yankee Stadium.

 

When I first heard that the Red Sox were working to get Roger Clemens, I thought-- Yes! a co-ace to back up Schilling, a mentor for 2 young guys who idolize him (Beckett and Papelbon), and a great story of a former ace coming back to where it all started-- a future hall of famer putting the finishing touches on his career...

 

Then I really started to THINK about it. Realized what we'd really be getting in Clemens which is an egomaniacle a-hole who doesn't travel on road trips when he's not pitching..... for $18+ million!

 

It does seem like Roger wants to create a media circus upon his "unretirement," which is why he waits until February to announce whether or not he's coming back. Also, he lets teams like NY, Boston, and Houston convince themselves that they really want him so he can drive the price up.

 

I would sign Clemens under a few key circumstances: (please keep in mind that I don't THINK it WILL HAPPEN, but these are the circumstances under which I'd add him to the 2006 Red Sox)

 

1. He signs a $5 million, 1 year deal with incentives that make it worth $10 million. Here's the kicker-- most of the incentives relate to playoff performance. Roger needs that motivation in September and October more than anything.

2. He's with the team full time-- none of this preferencial treatment bullcrap.

3. A trade is already in place for David Wells-- we don't need 2 40+ starters in the rotaiton.

 

The Yankees and Rangers (and probably even the Astros) will offer more, and I'm OK with that.

[YAZMAN]

Clemens, Clement, what's the difference? Either one will fold down the stretch.

 

Besides, Raajaa needs to stay in the NL so he can throw another bat at Piazza.

[Americal Man]

If they did pick him up (shudder) they should put him in the pen. I can't believe I wrote that...

[VA Sox Fan]

If they did pick him up (shudder) they should put him in the pen. I can't believe I wrote that...

 

Good morning Col! You feelin' ok? ha ha!

[Americal Man]

Mornin' VA,

just trying to sort through the raja stuff. don't think we need that distraction at the time they are trying to regenerate clubhouse unity and a basic team feel-good atmosphere.

[VA Sox Fan]

Mornin' VA,

just trying to sort through the raja stuff. don't think we need that distraction at the time they are trying to regenerate clubhouse unity and a basic team feel-good atmosphere.

 

I hear ya. I'd be surprised if it happened. Plus Walrus would have to go on a Red Sox strike and we can't have that!